Cloudless
by The Sincerities
Summary: 15themes. 015. Dictation: The first time Shikamaru kisses her, she claims to have expected it and makes him do it again. She lied. Complete. — Shikamau/Ino.
1. Liar

_._

_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Credit for this written piece belongs to yours truly._

**Cloudless**  
: Sincerely. Yvette

* * *

001: Liar

* * *

偽者

There was a spot right atop of the hill behind the Hokage Monument; it was his favorite spot to lay in—suitable to compete against the rooftop beside his bedroom. When did he go there? Well, it was often on those summer nights when the air was humid, the skies were clear, and the cicadas took the spotlight rather than crickets. This was a favorite of his for a plentiful set of reasons.

For one, he liked how close the skies looked atop of this towering mountain. It seemed as though he could reach out—just as he would as a child—and for once feel the cotton illusion of a shapeless cloud. The grass was neat and green, accompanied by a few wildflowers and hardly any trace of trees. If anything, there was nothing more but a few saplings. The land was spacious and isolated—just like he preferred. There were no distractions; hardly a single voice other than the faint murmurs from the villagers below.

No one ever dared to try and find him. No one ever _knew_ where to try and find him.

Except for Ino, of course. Ino, Choji, and Asuma ( who watched directly from the Heavens' above his very reach ) were the only members of humanity who knew of this escape. Except for his father, perhaps. After all, Shikaku was that very man who he took after in his family.

During these nights, he would sneak off during the very midst of midnight. He was a wanderer when it came to be the very beginning of a new day. With a window big enough for his lean body to slither past, onto the rigid rooftop where his cat would nest upon, either he could easily choose to accompany Mochi on the oblique material, or he could drag himself along the nearly desolated paths of Konohagakure.

A cigarette or two always burned away, both during his mindless journeys—and back. It soothed his thoughts as many plowed past every step. Sometimes he recited the moves of a recent game of shogi, or he would reminisce on his future vision of life.

_A regular woman—pretty no more than she is ugly; two children – first a girl, then a boy; retirement after she is married, and he is a successful shinobi. Life as it comes after will be nothing more than endless rounds of shogi and go. Death will arrive at old age, before my wife. _

Yes, this was life. With a blow of mainstream smoke, he would close his eyes and smirk at the skies while his arm supported his head, and a leg crossed over an elevated knee.

Under these very hours, the world around him was lit by nothing more other than the clarity of the moon. The mountains rose so high, that the streetlights illuminated only what was around them. This proved worthy of his interests, because the stars shone brighter this way.

In broad daylight, there would be clouds. Under a shawl of the galaxy lay the stars with their moon.

Summer was his favorite season.

Sometimes she would find him during these times. The faint glow of the very end of his cigarette guided her beside him, and she would simply sit with her knees pulled into her chest. His eyes would remain closed, and his cigarette would lay limp between the fingers of his hand, which dangled from its wrist while on his knee.

"Shikamaru, are you awake?"

"No."

"_Liar_."

And in that very hand, his cigarette would rise to his lips—eyes still closed—and he would take a drag, enhancing the glow for a second before it returned to the normal, dull color.

* * *

偽者


	2. Cycle

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_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Credit for this written piece belongs to yours truly._

* * *

002: Cycle

* * *

周期

"You think I'm overreacting, do you?"

Oh, this couldn't be good.

"I'm not overreacting—_I actually have a reason to be mad_!" Ino swung her body over the counter, pacing dangerously towards Shikamaru, who sluggishly bent over towards shattered clay and scattered dirt. "I clean this entire little shop—I water my flowers—I sweep up clumps of dirt—I wash down the windows—I do the negotiating and selling—I make these damned vases with my _own_ two hands, and _what do you come in and do_?"

Shikamaru felt himself shrink smaller and smaller, and if it weren't for all the leaves and vines hanging around, he would have had a prepared cig for his personal breakdown.

"You damn near destroy more than a single plant in one go!" A clutter of clay crashed with a single kick, and now Shikamaru began to grow scared. "Do you know how _hard_ I work to make these pots?"

This was exactly why he found women so terrifying and troublesome. They were like hell beasts, going around breathing their fire on you if you did so much as to blink an eye improperly.

Ino, however, dropped her head and slammed her palm onto her forehead midway after finishing her sentence, while the other rested on her hip. With a deep exhale and some temple rubbing, she skidded over to the counter to retrieve a broom. When she walked back and handed it to the pale, wordless chunin who stood unsure whether to dash out the opened door or to begin outlining his will, she handed it to him gently and without a spit or two on the floor to show her anger.

"Here, sweep it up while I get another pot."

Of course, Shikamaru wasn't going to disobey and get himself murdered in one go, so he complied and swept up the mess at his feet.

After a series of dragging shards and bristles, Ino returned with a different pot in her hands, as well as a bag of soil. As she rejuvenated the clump of flowers into a new home, Shikamaru gathered the monstrosity he finished with the dustpan Ino brought along with her as well.

With a sigh, he rubbed the back of his neck, his fingers itching for the packet of cigarettes he had.

"Honestly, Shikamaru," Ino piped, her back to him from behind the counter as she snapped a lace of ribbon from the rolls on the wall. "You're lucky I'm not charging you for these carnations. _All of them_."

"It was an accident," he forced back the urge to drop his head back. "You act like I'm such a bad guy when bratty little kids have done the same thing with more than one pot—on _purpose_."

"Really? It didn't look like an accident when you crashed into the sideboard!"

"Just look at all that rope on the ground, Ino. You think it wasn't an accident? Maybe if you didn't leave these ropes lying near the entrance, we wouldn't _have _this problem."

"I didn't leave any rope on the ground!"

He cringed.

"You think I don't do a good job cleaning up around the plants? You think I just leave this rope on the ground, for nothing? That rope is the base of holding up the planters!" Ino's voice screeched lighter and lighter until it gave off a light tremble.

"What—_wait_, Ino, I never said you don't do a good job." He stepped forward, feeling himself droop in panic with she turned her body to the counter with her brows furrowed, her teeth clenched, and her eyes bleary. "I'm just suggesting that you—"

"I do my best to organize the shop." Her eyes grew deep, and her voice strained.

"I know you do." He hated times like these—when his words molded against him without warning. "Look, just forget what I said. What's gotten into you? You wouldn't get so overly dramatic over a—"

"I'm not overly dramatic!"

Here came the yelling. _Again_.

"How the hell would _you_ feel if you had to go around with back pains, shoving something into you every three hours just so you're not dripping uncontrollably?"

Wait—_what_?

"Do you know what a _pain_ it is to have to go around having people mess up your day—making you have to replant a pair of carnations just because your stupid teammate just has to go around breaking pots—when all you want is to just lay down and get your cycle over with? _Well_? _I think not_!"

If he had that cigarette, he would have taken a long, _long_ drag—and then would have dropped it.

"Go sweep up the rest of the shop if it's so untidy!"

_But_—he hadn't even . . .

"_What are you staring at_? I said—_sweep_!"

And with that, with the broom in his hands, Shikamaru ran to the corner of the _very_ well organized and tidy Yamanaka Flower Shop, and swept.

All this time, he had to deal with this troublesome behavior, just for _that_?

Honestly? He thought he had memorized _exactly_ when these cycles would strike!

* * *

周期


	3. Morning

_._

_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Credit for this written piece belongs to yours truly._

* * *

003: Morning

* * *

朝

One morning, it was out in the forest when he concluded it.

Everyone was still sleeping ( which was a bit of a surprise; normally_ he_ would be the last to wake ) and he simply cracked an eye open to let in the gleam of the sun shine past the branches. It turned out to be a moment of boring peace, listening to Choji's snores, and Ino's body rise and fall beneath her sleeping bag.

Well, at least, that was what he was_ used_ to hearing and watching.

Today, Ino's head popped up from her sleeping bag a few moments, and she blinked with a cute little yawn; of course, Shikamaru did not acknowledge such a thing, though.

What he did, however, acknowledge were the long streams of hair that followed behind her as she rose from her position on her tummy. The light slither of every strand on the fabrics of the sleeping bag was wonderful.  
For once, he woke to see Ino in a state so pure, so rare—that he quickly took note of the detail.

When she finally propped herself onto her elbows, one arm raked back the hair in her face; he got to see her face revealed completely. And best of all, her hair was beyond matted. Such long hair could only stay so neat. Strands tangled with others, some layers standing on their own.

Unlike the usual Ino with her hair pulled up, her usual bangs curtaining over her eye, and her hair neatly brushed to perfection, this Ino had wild hair that could easily serve as a blanket for her torso. Her hair of a light porcelain blond—one so light that a few shades or two lighter would mistaken it for a near white—twisted and turned naturally from her sleeping behavior. The usual layer of hair over her eye was inexistent, and rather it blended in with the rest as it was guided back, away from her face.

It was a great sight, until he responded improperly.

"Morning," is what she barely yawned out to break his trance.

"Ino," he had said, "you should really put your hair like that more often."

"_Are you crazy_? !"

With that, birds fled from the branches, and her screech woke the land.

But he was still able to conclude that Ino was possibly the only female in Konohagakure who could work messy hair like a Goddess.

* * *

朝


	4. Childhood

_._

_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Credit for this written piece belongs to yours truly._

* * *

004: Childhood.

* * *

幼少

Today, it was July – the very first day of July.

It was hot, and it was humid – and of course, it was dry. It was Konohagakure, after all. But luckily for the residents in the Yamanaka Flower Shop, they were surrounded by fresh air just as comparable to that of a park. With the door propped open, as usual, the sun shone brightly into the shop to shower the plants in bliss.

Ino scurried across the wooden floors, barefoot, with a pot of freshly planted lilies. Shikamaru, who was visiting on his way down to the ports, lazily dragged packets of manure and soil – one in his left hand, the other slugged over his shoulder. Of course, the blonde wasn't going to let him slip by without doing something.

"Look," he muttered as he tossed the large bag of manure onto the floor corner with its companions, "wouldn't you rather go out and get some fresh air near the lake, instead of staying cooped up indoors?"

"Technically," she said, her voice muffling behind her arms as she lifted the pot onto a shelf, "I'm not indoors. I have plants all around me." When she turned, she smiled and jumped away from the stool elevating her. "But if what you're doing is indirectly asking me to come with you to the port, I would be happy to."

When she scurried into the storage room ( or her household hallway full of boxes and useless merchandise, to be exact ), Shikamaru only managed to raise his brow without words.

"Alright, let's go!" Ino sprinted past him, grabbing his arm in the process before dragging him out the door, her backless zori slapping behind her.

"What about the shop?"

Almost immediately, she doubled back into the building, flipping the sign from open to closed and slamming the door behind her. Shikamaru only sighed, mentally reminding himself that he should have expected something like this from her.

Within minutes the two found themselves along the pathway separating them from the lower grounds of the port bridge way. They passed countless trees planted around the perimeter symmetrically, Shikamaru leading them near a hilly area just above the base of the lake.

"I'm guessing that you know the best areas to go to when it comes to lying down, don't you?" Ino smirked as she fumbled with the lengths of her hair, pulling them over her scalp as she somehow managed a wild bun to keep herself cooler under the sun.

"That depends," he said, watching her from the corner of his eye as she finished tying a bow with a lavender ribbon she pulled out of her pocket. "What's your opinion on best? My opinion on good areas may differ from someone else's."

When they finally made it to the tops of the hill, Ino plopped cozily onto the blades of grass, the daisies swaying beneath the momentum of her fall. Shikamaru, unlike Ino, levered himself down gently, his arms pillowing his head.

"Well, I'm sure most people would find areas like these amazing." Ino stared out into the horizon, watching as the lake water glistened under the heat, and as the buildings towered over with shadows. "How do you do it?"

"Do what?" Shikamaru muttered bluntly, closing his eyes with a meek smile.

"Find all of these places – especially the one behind the Hokage Monument," she pressed on, sounding curious about his answer.

"They're all places people never acknowledge."

She stared.

"No one would ever think to look behind the mountain, nor would they ever really expect to find such a great view from some little hill near the corner of a bunch of trees." He paused. "Not unless you were a kid, that is."

She remained silent, watching as his irises looked into her own, now. Without noticing, she smiled.

"So, you think like a kid," she breathed.

"You could put it that way, if you'd like." They closed again. "Kids are amazing when it comes to discovering new things."

Neither spoke, and instead they allowed the wind to chatter for them. It was nothing but a mere breeze with the smell of fresh water—one that made Ino grow with a sense of serenity.

"I miss being a kid," she finally mumbled.

"Don't we all." Shikamaru sighed, feeling himself begin to drift with the wind. "Things were easier back then."

"We were innocent," she countered.

"Didn't have to go around worrying about death and war," he opened his eyes, narrowing them at the view of a cloudless sky. "All we had was senseless homework and days at the park with a bunch of our friends."

Ino chose not to add her two cents, simply for the sake of not filling herself with any more nostalgia. Instead, she nodded to herself, feeling a few loose strands of hair flow.

She heard a light snap, but ignored it when Shikamaru broke their silence, again.

"Turn here for a moment."

She obeyed, opening her eyes to look at him. They widened when he reached out to her, an elbow propping him up sloppily as he slipped something behind her ear. Much to her surprise, he smirked, suddenly giving her nose a light push with his finger before laying back down.

When she remained speechless, a blush now tainting her usual rosy cheeks, he stared up at her.

"I saw some little boy do this once. He ran off right after." He sounded as though he wanted to chuckle. "See, if we were kids, I would have run off after doing that."

Ino blinked, grinning at his antics.

"Why didn't you finish what you started?"

"Because I'm not a kid," he retorted. "And because I'm too comfortable to get up."

"Of course. Who would expect Shikamaru of all people to run instead of lying down?"

"The very woman who wasn't expecting me to put a daisy in her hair."

She honestly didn't know how to respond with anything other than a giggle. He definitely made her feel like a kid again, even for just a little.

* * *

幼少


	5. Comfort

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_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Credit for this written piece belongs to yours truly._

* * *

005: Comfort

* * *

慰め

On the outside, I would have easily found her to be confident, demanding, and more importantly, troublesome. Anybody would have.

But within the very core, lies a character that rarely anyone would recognize from a woman like Ino; a persona seen only during the rarest of moons and days.

The first time I saw her in this state, I found her to be considerate, cautious, and insecure. She was quiet, and she was unsure of herself and her ability. She asked a question or two after another, and after my every response. She remained silent if the response was enough to send her into thought.

"_Hey," she began, "Shikamaru."_

"_Hm?"_

"_I'm not much of a help to our team, am I?"_

She doesn't believe in herself.

"_What are you talking about, all of a sudden?"_

"_I'm not much of help, am I?"_

Her eyes lowered.

She tries hard to improve herself, but even then, she doesn't confide in her obvious talents and abilities. She strives for perfection, or at the very least, excellence.

"_You should lay down or something, Ino. Obviously, there's something bothering you. Go to sleep."_

And all of these times, especially the first, I have seen her shatter within shards of doubt. I have seen her reach the point of forcing back tears, and often times I don't realize the cause until her outer layer has already crumbled.

"_I . . . I can try harder, Shikamaru." With irises trembling behind a veil of saltine, Ino tried to smile. "I really can."_

I've never been much of a miracle worker when it comes to comfort. I'm too straightforward. My advice, or even just my words, at that, can either help you or possibly even hurt you further.

"_Ino, what are you saying. You're a great help to our team. What's gotten into you?"_

"_Shikamaru, don't lie to me!"_

"_I'm not lying to you."_

"_Yes you are! All I ever do is get in the way! I can't even heal a wound properly . . . ." _

She sees herself as a burden during missions that she can't shine in – missions that she can do no more than watch the people around her pummel. Those missions are simply times that ability lies slaughtered and mocked. Times like those get to her. She doesn't like to sit and watch her loved ones fade. Nobody does.

I would know.

_"Ino, you don't get in the way. You do far from getting in the way. You capture minds, and you can even destroy one. You're agile, and you're quick-witted. You can heal wounds seething in a person's flesh. The only wounds you can't mend are those that have already claimed a person's life. Do you understand? You help our team at our toughest points, and don't you dare tell me that you don't."_

On that day, she only nodded with her head hanging, and her tears trickling onto her knees. She drew her shaken breaths in, her exhales escaping in the form of a sigh.

She nodded, _accepting_ my words.

It hurt to watch such a naturally powerful woman look so vulnerable. It honestly really hurt, especially because I didn't know what to do.

If anything, I was the one who should have felt useless.

* * *

慰め


	6. Scent

.

_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Credit for this written piece belongs to yours truly._

* * *

006: Scent

* * *

香り

Ino had a habit.

Shikamaru was a victim of this habit, and although he often bemoaned her for it, he never really went to extents to prevent it. Ino found this a well demonstration of her luck, as well as her comfort.

Ino had a habit of leaning against her teammate, sometimes actually _laying_ on him. She didn't really understand why or from where it even came from, but during their resting hours she always sat beside him. They normally talked, and suddenly she would find herself propped against his shoulder.

The very first time, he practically scolded her ear away in disapproving yells.

"_What the hell do you think you're doing? Get off me!"_

As for Ino, she remembered frowning and asking him what _his_ problem was. Her answer to his question: she was tired and the ground was too hard.

Eventually, it became such a habit that Shikamaru didn't even both whipping up a proper argument. He didn't try to wriggle her head away with a few dodges and jabs with his shoulder.

Today, he even went to a different measure as she drifted off against him, again. He allowed her to lay in his arms, his own head resting against the bark of the pine tree above them.

Her body rose and fell, and although Shikamaru admitted that he didn't know what the hell he was doing anymore, he forcefully agreed with himself that Ino was indeed very light and comfortable to cradle.

It felt so –_ right_.

And more importantly, there was another reason he stopped pushing her away.

She smelled like roses.

* * *

香り


	7. Hand in Hand

.

_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Credit for this written piece belongs to yours truly._

* * *

007: Hand in Hand

* * *

手を携え

Shikamaru isn't one to get physical with _anybody_. He hardly enjoys a jaw making contact with his first. He doesn't like fighting. He's a coward, and his excuse is intelligence.

Ino is a physical being. She enjoys hugs, and making contact with an enemy boosts her confidence rate. She's not a coward, and her reason is contentment.

With Ino, Shikamaru can always expect a nudge, a smack, an uncalled for embrace, a grab at his arm, and once even a peck on the cheek. Intimacy makes him queasy, and he doesn't know how to deal with it. But when it comes to Ino, there is no avoiding it.

So, it's not much of a surprise when they're walking down the pathway that Ino curls her arms around Shikamaru's. Her face nuzzles into it, and she smirks up at him. He inches away, snatching his arm back. He makes it clear to her that she should keep to herself if she knows what's best, but she only smiles with her hands behind her back.

_Why?_ she coos out. _Your arm is comfortable!_

_Because I _said_ so, you troublesome woman! _

She frowns at this and stares down at his hand. Gently, she lowers her own under his palm. He raises a brow, ready to snap at her. He blinks, feeling the softness of her hand against the rough of his own. And she gives him a small smile, almost as though she's asking him if it's okay. He then releases his tension, sighing in defeat when he feels her fingers curl between the spaces of his fingers.

And while he doesn't like to admit it, he feels a dwelling of contentment. And he feels a warmth in his cheeks.

At this very moment, he only throws his head back to stare at the sky with a rare smirk.

And Ino soon finds her eyes widen when his fingers curl between hers, as well.

* * *

手を携え


	8. Acetone

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_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Credit for this written piece belongs to yours truly._

* * *

008: Acetone

* * *

アセトン

Ino likes rainy days. She likes to sit inside on the second floor of her flat, and she likes to listen to the patter against the window. Then there's the company of her teammate, who prefers sunny days. He thinks rainy days, or cloudy days even, are troublesome.

_Too many clouds in one gathering_, he says. _Watching clouds fade by after another is better than looking up at a load of dusk._

Sometimes he stops by at the Yamanaka residence, and this only adds to her liking of rainy days. He slumps onto the couch with her, sometimes listing the bothersome chores Tsunade assigns him; once he even told her the events that partook in the Chunin Exam while he acted as protector ( forcefully, he later mentioned ).

And Ino sits on the opposing side of her couch with a knee pulled close to her chest. The strong aroma of acetone lingers around them, around the living area, as Shikamaru sighs eventually to warn her that the smell is prudent.

_Don't be silly! If you can last around yourself while smoking, then you can handle a little nail polish!_

Therefore, he frowns with a leer towards the blonde before continuing his explanation on their upcoming mission. Ino, on the other hand, smiles to herself, knowing that her teammate would rather keep his mouth shut than to try to contradict her.

She listens to yet another professionally built out ambush from him, one sweep of her favorite nail polish following another onto her nail. She nods when he asks if she properly understands even a single word he just said, holding back a building urge to kick at his sarcasm. She hears him smile into his words when he says: _I hope you direct that expression towards our culprits, then_.

Ino glances up at him, indeed seeing him smirk forward at her while she is leaned over her knee. Feeling herself blush, she looks back down at her toes, finishing the final nail of crimson.

After a moment of rain trickling onto the rooftop, Shikamaru's smooth voice rings out a gutful remark. Ino doesn't like to admit that she only proved his point further nearly a second later.

"You know, red really suits you."

* * *

アセトン


	9. Summer Days

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_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Credit for this written piece belongs to yours truly._

* * *

009: Summer Days

* * *

夏の日

Sometimes I used to watch Shikamaru and Asuma-sensei play a round of shogi during the summer. Beside the river was Asuma's shack where both he and Shikamaru would sit on the porch.

Choji oftentimes made a quick run to the shop for a few groceries to whip into a meal ( and thankfully the fatass wouldn't eat half of the purchases on his way back ), while I brewed together some tea. For instance, I would bring some sprigs of mint with me. By the time Choji returned with the groceries, there would be a pitcher of iced tea beside the shogi table, along with a jar of honey. Choji would then cook us up a feast of homemade barbeque.

It was peaceful and fun. The quality time Team 10 had together.

When the sun went down and when the cicadas began to sing a different tune, Asuma would let out a cry of defeat. Shikamaru would mumble something with a smirk, and sometimes Asuma would be up for a rematch if time still spared over.

If it was one of the days where Asuma would let us sleep over, as a team, then it would feel as though we were out on a mission.

A mission that felt entirely like a vacation.

He would light the two lanterns hanging on the rimming of the rooftop, and we would all sit around to chat away the evening. Asuma-sensei would remind us about our following mission(s), or sometimes he would go over our improvements. He would tell us the politics varying around the Land of Fire, and he would go over how to move forward and become successful jonin when the time finally came.

He never talked about Kurenai.

Spending the night during the summer meant camping out in front. We would set up our sleeping bags, and when night took over the sky, we stared up at the stars until we drifted off to sleep.

Those were the best days I ever had.

The best days _Team 10_ ever had.

Now, his little shack lies unaccompanied. The lanterns haven't been lit in months. Shikamaru hasn't played a game of shogi on his porch ever since. The courtyard is filled with leaves, desolate.

But today, Shikamaru decides to pay it an old visit, late at night. He brings me with him, and he asks Choji if he can come as well. Sadly, Choji is on a trip with Chōza, and is unable to accompany us.

When we arrive, it's just as it used to be. Peaceful, tranquil. The cicadas are chirping their song of midnight, and the trees are rustling faintly, providing the background tune. Nostalgic.

I watch as Shikamaru steps over one lantern with Asuma's lighter. A flicker passes by, and the fire burns within the paper. He moves on to the complimenting side, lighting its partner as well. Within the darkness is the glow of Asuma's paper lanterns, and the shadows are trembling against the trees, the ground, and the shack.

Both Shikamaru and I sit aimlessly on the porch, Shikamaru laid across with his head on his palm. I feel a wave of sadness flow over me, and I miss the old smell of burning coal. It isn't much of a surprise when Shikamaru reveals his newfound habit. I listen to the metal of the lighter click, and I hear a flame crackle. Within seconds, I listen to him inhale, and I smell the vivid scent of chemicals when he exhales.

I used to hate the aroma. Now I miss it so much that I tolerate it, forcefully.

Shikamaru stares past the rimming of the rooftop, and up into the sky. He doesn't acknowledge the shake of my body, and the disgruntled sound of my voice as I feel tears force their way down with my grief. He simply inhales, exhaling a length of smoke.

I hear the wooden panels creak as he poises himself into a sitting position, and before long I feel a pat on my shoulder.

That evening he listened to every word I said, and he let me sob uncontrollably into his vest.

* * *

夏の日


	10. Unwind

_._

_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Credit for this written piece belongs to yours truly._

* * *

010: Unwind

* * *

解く

Alcohol is a very troublesome beverage. Any concept within its line is also troublesome. Thus, Shikamaru agrees full on with his conflicting thoughts, and he disagrees with Ino's very chipper offer to stride into one of the local bars. Why she's even considering this idea, he doesn't know. However, he can't help but think that the outcome won't be anything acknowledgeable the next day. After all, he knows that when a person is under the influence, that their memory suddenly becomes a blur with the headache they awake under.

As he pulls back, opposing Ino's very persistent drag towards the entrance under a flickering bulletin, he scowls and makes sure to strengthen the disapproval in his voice.

"Ino," he starts, "I'm not going in there, and neither are _you_."

"Shikamaru, don't be such a prude!" The blonde grins at him, pausing. "No one says you've got to _drink_ or anything—hell, they don't even have a smoking policy! That's _perfect_ for you! C'mon, just join me and have some fun! There's music playing down in the basement!"

"I don't dance."

"_Shika~maru_! Just come with me! Be my date and make sure I stay safe!"

His frown deepens, as well as his comfort level. Oh, and not to mention the newly arising tint brushing across his cheeks.

"Listen, Ino, just because we're chunin doesn't give us the privilege to go into a bar—."

"Shut up! Yes it does! Now seriously, _shut up_ and come with me!"

Before he can pull away again, the lighting quickly turns from the bright sunset to a dimmed shade under the conditions of chatter, laughter, and clanking glass.

Many bundles of villagers are scattered around every corner of the crowded bar, as well as many inebriated shinobi. Shikamaru glances over at his very excited teammate, whose face glows with a restless smile as the two stumble down a flight of stairs.

Just before Shikamaru thinks the lighting can't get any dimmer, his vision then adjusts to a shadowy cranny with pulsing bodies, as well as a bar set off into the corner.

Ino slams him onto one of the stools beside the counter, her hands flying over the pockets of his vest. He gasps out in clear astonishment, watching her pull out a half empty packet of cigarettes, as well as Asuma's lighter. From the box comes a roll, which she takes no hesitation in shoving into his mouth. Her thumb flicks the lighter, and with a flare of orange, the scent and taste of nicotine flow vividly into his system.

Shikamaru pulls the cigarette from his mouth, blowing out a string of smoke angrily.

"_What the hell are you doing_—?" he booms over the music reverberating around them.

She blinks at him, smiling sweetly as she hands him both of his possessions. She leans in towards his ear, pulling him to her from his wrist.

"Have some fun, will ya? Now c'mon, let's dance!"

Cigarette still in hand, Shikamaru is sprung off the stool and into the crowd of persons. Ino swirls with a lively spirit, grabbing onto him from his waist as she synchronizes with the music.

As unhappy and confused as he is, Shikamaru finally sighs in defeat, replacing the cigarette into his mouth. He pulls her against him, one hand on her waist as well, and together they blend into the atmosphere.

Maybe this wasn't so bad, after all.

* * *

解く


	11. Nagging

_._

_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Credit for this written piece belongs to yours truly._

* * *

011: Nagging

* * *

揚げ足取り

"Shikamaru," began Ino as she watched her teammate step outside for a drag of smoke. "I don't understand how you can even handle smoking in this heat!"

Shikamaru shrugged, leaning against the doorway as he lit the roll between his fingers. As usual, he stared up at the rooftops of the buildings, at the clothes wiring extended above the streets, and at the scatters of tags and graffiti scribbled onto the peeling paint of the walls. The sun was at its point of day, and many of the villagers walked by in clothing suitable for the waves of heat engulfing Konohagakure.

Ino, for instance, was in a casual pair of orange shorts and a baggy blouse as she monitored the Yamanaka Flower Shop from the check counter. Shikamaru, rather than walking around in his usual chuunin vest and black long sleeve, wore a simple fishnet and his training pants. Many of the women walked around in a simple sundress, and many of the boys ran around in shorts.

"Shikamaru!"

The brunette shifted his gaze behind him into the shop, and he caught hold of a very frisky Ino, who had slammed her palms onto the counter.

"What?"

"How many times do I have to remind you not to smoke around the plants!"

He sighed, deciding to put out the cigarette and smash it beneath the heel of his zori. He would much rather keep cool under a rooftop than bask under the rays of sun at this hour.

As he walked back into the shop, he stared blankly at the blonde, who was feasting herself with a bowl of red jell-o. She glared at him before swallowing and giving him her signature scowl.

"Now you smell like smoke." She groaned. "Shikamaru, I really don't understand how you're considered a genius."

He smiled.

"And I don't understand how someone who nags me more than my mother can be so attractive."

Ino's mouth shut, and her eyes widened—giving a perfect view of her icy irises.

Shikamaru's smile quickly formed a smirk when her cheeks flamed a rosy pink. She was at a loss of words, and because of this, he took the chance to snatch the spoon in her hand. With a dip into the dish of jell-o, he took a spoonful into his mouth before giving it back. When he swallowed, he turned his attention back to Ino.

"We're even now."

Ino's brows furrowed, and she snatched the spoon back.

"If you wanted some you should have asked!"

And with that, a very flustered Ino shoved another spoonful of jell-o into Shikamaru's mouth.

* * *

揚げ足取り


	12. Salary

_._

_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Credit for this written piece belongs to yours truly._

* * *

012: Salary

* * *

給料

Ino stepped back into the Nara household, bracing herself for the faint but noticeable scent of laundry and lingering secondhand smoke. She passed the kitchen where both Shikaku and her father chatted, and into the hallway where the staircase lay.

When she climbed the flight of hardwood paneling, she spotted Mochi—who was swishing his tail slowly, staring at her. She smiled.

"What're you looking at, you fat boy?"

He levered himself onto all fours, following her to the doorway at the end of the hall. She creaked the door open, giving view of Shikamaru's cluttered room. Oddly enough, he no longer lay sprawled on his bed.

"Where'd your owner go, Mochi?"

Mochi gave a lazy meow before pouncing onto a pile of books, and then over the opened window. She watched as he climbed further up the rooftop, and then sighed.

She slid the window further open, crawling through it carefully. Her head turned to look at the escalating layers of rusted-colored tiles, and then began pulling herself towards Mochi's visible tail. When she reached the flatter surface, she found Shikamaru with his arms under his head—eyes closed.

"Is this what you do for a living—you lazy bum?" She poked at his side, lifting herself to sit properly beside him.

He didn't answer her, and this caused her to scowl.

When she turned her attention to the buildings around them, his voice spoke out to her.

"You can say that."

"Oh yeah?" She smirked. "Wish I could live the good life like this. What's your salary, _hm_?"

"A room all to myself; a lazy cat who eats more than Choji; a hot breakfast, lunch, and dinner," he paused, his voice clearly lining his smile, "and a nag who follows me onto my rooftop."

Ino tried not to laugh.

"What about you, nag?"

She continued staring at the distance before them, taking a few moments to think.

"A fresh, breathable living space; a billboard-browed friend who lives just a few blocks away; herbs and spices to cook a feast," she glanced over at him, finding him staring up at her lazily—still smiling. "And a lazy, good-for-nothing bum."

"Sounds interesting," he said as he fiddled with Mochi's ear. "Ever thought of introducing me to this _bum_? He sounds like we have a lot in common."

Ino let out a laugh.

"Nah, the nag is too busy keeping him company."

She looked over her shoulder, smiling brightly at him. He gave her a rare grin, before shaking his head.

"I think they both have it pretty good then." He closed his eyes. "Together."

* * *

給料


	13. Puzzle

_._

_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Credit for this written piece belongs to yours truly._

* * *

013: Puzzle

* * *

パズル

Shikamaru was a puzzle.

Ino could never tell what he was feeling – part of which because he always had the same expression on. He always looked bored out of his mind, nonchalant, annoyed.

He hardly ever showed any other emotion, and thus Ino would shake her head in exasperation. At one point, she gave up trying to figure him out, and she wasn't devious enough to use her transfer technique on him. He would never be found with or near her again if she did.

"Shikamaru," she would say. "At least smile ever now and then!"

"There's nothing to smile about."

Ino would then frown with him – though she would frown with determination.

"Doesn't anything make you happy?"

"Yeah," he would say to her. "Sleeping. Sleeping because I don't have to deal with _you_ that way. I don't have to deal with _anyone_that way."

To this, Ino would scoff.

Nothing seemed to break his expression, and Ino never knew what he was thinking, what he was feeling. But she _wanted _to know, and killed her when she didn't—especially because she, on the other hand, was very simple to read. It wasn't fair.

"Why don't you ever show any emotions? You're so boring!"

"A shinobi is to erase every trace of emotion." He would glance over at her. "Remember Iruka saying that to us during a lecture?"

"Yeah, but you're not on duty! Besides, you've been the same way since we were in the academy, and that was long before you were a shinobi. Even then you were a boring little runt!"

"I'm just a boring person then." He would look away. "Accept who I am."

Ino would turn away, now equally as annoyed with her arms crossed.

"_Impossible man_ – Shikamaru, you're such a pain!"

To her surprise, a rather heartfelt laugh rang out, and she turned with a stunned expression – mouth wide and ajar. Shikamaru looked away, still chuckling to himself, while Ino stared at him with wide eyes and even a tiny blush.

His hands shoved into his pockets, and he glanced at the sky as his smile faded smaller and smaller. Then, he said something that added onto Ino's surprise.

"You're cute."

Ino wound up shoving him thickly across their path, flaming a bright scarlet.

* * *

パズル


	14. Insomnia

_._

_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Credit for this written piece belongs to yours truly._

* * *

014: Insomnia

* * *

不眠

Ino could have sworn that she heard a knock.

It wasn't too often that this happened.

Ino slurred a few words, turning over to glance at the clock ticking beside her. She groaned when it read 2am, and she pulled herself further under her sheets. Then came another knock, which this time, she realized, was not her imagination. It sounded once more, enough for her to distinguish that it was coming from her window. She flung the futon from her, immediately pacing towards it.

When she slid her curtains to the side, they gave view to the silhouette of a male. Two blinks cleared the image enough for her to make it out as Shikamaru's silhouette. With a click, she slid open her window and growled.

"What is it?"

"Can't sleep," he said as he rose from his crouch on the roof, inviting himself through.

Ino stepped back in resistance.

"H—hey! I didn't say you could come in!"

He froze, glancing up at her lazily. Her wrist became victim to his broad hand, which skillfully latched itself onto her. He pulled, causing Ino's bleary eyes to widen.

"Fine – come out then."

Ino stiffened as she attempted to snatch her arm back. He didn't let go.

"Why should I? Don't drag me into this when _you're_ the one who can't sleep!"

He tugged at her wrist again, ignoring her words.

She deadpanned, glancing at her closed door before looking back at him. She frowned as she stepped closer to the sill.

"Fine, but if my dad wakes up, you're in for it."

As soon as Ino had crawled onto her rooftop with Shikamaru, she grumbled as she tangled her fingers into her hair, pulling at the various knots and loops. Following this, she glanced at her shorts and at the baggy shirt she only used when training alone. Her expression grew embarrassed.

"Why did you have to come and wake me up? Jeez . . ."

Shikamaru hunched forward, staring up at the stars.

"No one else was awake."

"_Why me thought _!" She huffed, crossing her arms and adjusting her bottom against the roof tiles. "This is ridiculous!"

"Be quiet," he said, calmly turning to her. "Being loud at this hour is troublesome."

Ino's eyes flared, and she harrumphed, turning her head away. Moments later, she glanced over at him.

"So you can't sleep . . . What do you want me to do about it?"

"Nothing."

She felt herself grow cranky, immediately grabbing at his head and pulling him towards her. His expression grew shocked, and he was quick to flail his arms forward for support as he fell back.

"H—hey! What do you think—."

He stopped when he felt his head rest against a soft fabric, and realized that Ino had forced him to lay over her lap. He grit his teeth and tried to rise, but she slammed her hands onto him and kept him down.

When her ice-toned eyes glared down at him, he looked away, now growing crimson.

"Just lay there!" she said, moving her own head back to give view of the sky again.

Shikamaru, as much as he was caught off guard, and as much as he wanted to distance himself a good mile or so away from her, obeyed to avoid causing a scene. Moments later, he flinched when he felt slim fingers rake through his gathered hair. When he looked up at her, she had her attention above her, almost as though she were used to doing this.

He felt a breeze dance by, unaware of his fluttering eyes.

The next morning he awoke to bright sunrays, a stiff back against the roof, and the faint smell of roses.

This was exactly why he chose to wake her.

* * *

不眠


	15. Dictation

_._

_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Credit for this written piece belongs to yours truly._

* * *

015: Dictation

* * *

書き取り

"You know what," began Ino as she and Shikamaru strode towards the playground found in the yard of the Ninja Academy. "If there's anything I agree with, it's the time that Temari called you a prude."

"W—_what_?" Shikamaru flinched, offended enough to stand up straight before returning to his slouch.

"You heard me," she piped, slowly stretching her hands in front of her as they approached the swings. "You're such a prude, Shikamaru. Honestly, I can tell you to do anything and you'll do it."

"Tch . . ."

His hands shoved into his pockets and he watched as Ino waltzed towards the empty swing set, just beside the slide. Their zori crunched against the bark scattered beneath them, and there came a caw or two from the birds.

The academy had let out three hours ago, finally releasing the students for their long-awaited vacation. Because of this, however, Shikamaru found himself wavering around the classrooms with Iruka as he helped him clean. It was only for some spare pocket money; nothing but a simple, D-ranked mission for a lazy chuunin such as himself.

It surprised him when Ino offered to accompany him.

_Don't you have a shop to run_? he had asked her.

_Business is slow today!_

At the very least, she provided him with her comfortable, annoying presence, so he appreciated it. Thus, the afternoon was spent hauling boxes in and out of classrooms; scrubbing down chalkboards; throwing leftover belongings into the lost-and-found; simple, tedious chores that Shikamaru somehow didn't mind.

Then here they were at the brink of sundown walking out into the empty playground as a break and as an excuse to enjoy the crisp, summer weather.

When the swing set gave a rusty creak, and when Ino began swaying back and forth on it, Shikamaru leaned against the pole and watched.

"Seriously," she said, breaking the silence he was beginning to enjoy. "Don't you think so too?"

"Think what?"

"That you're a prude, of course!" She turned to him, feeling her hair flutter behind her. "I'm not lying when I say that I can tell you to do anything."

"Troublesome woman."

He glanced up at the sky, admiring the orange shadows outlining the clouds.

"_You don't think so_?"

He said not a single word; instead, he enjoyed the breeze that blended with the creak of her swing. He felt her grow confident, and with a mild knot in his stomach, he could honestly say that he hadn't predicted her words.

"Kiss me!"

When his back immediately brought itself away from the pole, and when his calloused hands took either side of her cheeks into their possession, it was Ino's turn to feel a knot in her stomach. It was a sensation that brought her to feel as though she were on the largest swing possible; the feeling of his lips molding against her own, _skillfully_.

As they parted away, she stared wide at Shikamaru, whose hands casually retreated back into his pockets. She blinked, inwardly tugging at the knot creating the deep blush on her cheeks.

"S—_see_!" she stuttered. "I told you!"

Shikamaru simply smirked and leaned back onto the pole.

When the silence took over again, Ino quickly broke past it with another order.

"Shikamaru?"

"Hm?"

"Kiss me again."

堅物の人

* * *

**Author's Note**:

* * *

How many of you would like a new collection? Fifteen is a good number to wrap this one up at. I enjoyed this series; it was a nice change for me since I had never written ShikaIno before. It transformed me into a great supporter. You guys were so kind to me, too! Thank you.

If you guys would like a new series, I would be more than happy to make a sequel. Let me know what you think of both this chapter ( I finally stopped teasing you guys and threw in a kiss ; P ), and also what you think about a new drabble collection! ~

_**Reviews are always a nice finale for an author. **_


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